ViewGuide

Created Feb 02, 2008 11:58PM PST • Edited Feb 02, 2008 11:58PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Great 4.0

   This is a movie 20 years down the road that someone will find on the shelf at the store and be surprised they haven’t heard of it. this film was good. it was so good in fact I’m going to buy it, hide it, and then find it in 5 years and watch it all over again. Natalie Portman in this film did more then i thought she was capable of as an actress. the overall movie seemed to drag near the end but the result was still the same. it wasa good movie that will have a shelf life that will beat out allot of movies out right now.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   this film was classically cast. just like Milos Formans other films he did a great job of building a whole new world and making you believe it was real. Javier Bardem did a wonderful job in this movie. his character was a very creepy and devious person and it seems to me that this role would have been tough to pull off. Natalie Portman playing two roles in this film. the enchanting Inés and the young prostitute Alicia. she played a role in this movie i never thought I would see her in. it just goes to show you that there are some actresses out there that can do more then just look pretty.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

   Javier Bardem as Brother Lorenzo was a surreal experience to watch. watching his character evolve over the period of the film to something completely different. Stellan Skarsgård is a sincerely under appreciated actor. his role as Goya was a blessing to this movie. he did a wonderful job portraying the famed artist.

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

   Natalie Portman in this film with both of her roles was refreshing to see. I’m glad to see that she hasn’t lost her touch since “the Professional” when she was 12. as Inés the young poor girl who gets involved with some unfortunate events of the period. and as the young Orphan prostitute Alicia. naive to the world and raised in a cruel environment.

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

   Blanca Portillo as the Queen of Spain didnt stand out in this role. she didn’t do a bad job its just they didn’t show enough of any female in this film other then Natalie Portman.

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

   Randy Quaid as King Carlos IV was odd. its funny not seeing him in a silly role. he was very serious in this film and he did a decent job. but just like the female costar category they didn’t show enough to really judge.

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    this was a quality film the sets were extravagant and the costumes were wonderful. they seemed to pay attention to every detail.

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

    Milos Forman did a wonderful job directing this Wonderful rendition of a horrible time in history. I can’t even imagine living in this period of time let alone writing about it.

12. Play Very Good 3.5

    they kept everything pretty clear in this. even though it was based in spain it was filmed in english. funny enough i discovered that When asked why a film about such a quintessentially Spanish artist was made in English, the director replied “I don’t speak Spanish.”

13. Music Very Good 3.5

    the music was great in this. not as good as the art though.

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5

    this movie kept it simple. allot of dialog but when they did get down to the dirty work of the Spanish inquisitions “The Question” they were pretty stunning to see.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.8

    some of the visuals of the torture in this can make you a little squeamish but other then that things were pretty mild.

17. Sex Titillating 1.8

    they hint at sex but its something they didnt need to show. this was not the focus of the film.

18. Violence Fierce 2.2

    one thing to say… The Question! research the spanish inquizition and you will understand.

19. Rudeness Polite 1.5

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

    sadly this is based on real things that happened in the 1700’s its shameful to know that the human race went through a period like this.

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0